This app is available for android, iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod), and Windows phone and its communication software is available for MAC and Windows 10. To get the things done, you should install this app on your phone and install the remote mouse communication software on your computer. Starting a program on a Mac is so much easier/nicer than starting it in Windows. You can do it through finder, through the dock and through launchpad. There's other software like Alfred that you can launch programs using a hotkey and the first few letters of the program name.
Historically, you downloaded Windows software through an EXE file from its official website or a third-party download site (called a desktop app). But starting in Windows 8 and today with Windows 10, you also have the option of downloading apps from the Microsoft Store (known as store apps).
Many apps are available as both traditional desktop apps and modern Store apps. Given the choice, which should you download? We’ll take a look and try to answer that question.
Why Does the Microsoft Store Exist?
Microsoft included its new app marketplace, called the Windows Store, with Windows 8. At the time, these “Metro apps” were only available in full-screen and many people ignored them.
This marketplace was carried into Windows 10 and eventually renamed the Microsoft Store (not to be confused with brick-and-mortar Microsoft stores). In addition to apps, the Microsoft Store carries games, movies, TV shows, and Edge extensions. Now, the lines between app types are blurred, as Store apps run in a window just like traditional desktop programs.
Check out our overview of the Microsoft StoreWhat Is the Microsoft Store and How Do I Use It on Windows 10?What Is the Microsoft Store and How Do I Use It on Windows 10?Curious about the Microsoft Store in Windows 10? Here's what the Store offers, how to access it, and some tips for using it.Read More for more info, if you’re new to it.
For some time, Windows was the only major platform not to offer an official marketplace for apps. Android has Google Play, macOS and iOS have the App Store, and Linux has several storefront repositories. Longtime Windows users may wonder why Microsoft even bothered to release an app store like this.
From the company’s perspective, this was mainly for two reasons: uniformity across platforms, and security of the OS.
Universal Microsoft Store Apps
As you might remember, Microsoft pushed the new Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps (called Metro apps during Windows 8) pretty hard. The idea was to offer apps that worked on desktop Windows as well as Windows Phone.
Nowadays, even after the collapse of Windows 10 Mobile, apps on the Store often run across Windows 10, Xbox One, HoloLens, and other platforms. In theory, these let developers create an app once that’s usable across multiple devices.
Of course, having these apps on the Microsoft Store also provides an additional revenue stream for Microsoft.
Security Issues With Desktop Apps
Because desktop Windows programs are available all over the place, downloading them can lead to infection of your computer. If you don’t download from a trusted sourceThe Safest free. software download Sites for WindowsThe Safest free. software download Sites for WindowsMany software download sites are loaded with malware. We compiled websites you can trust when you need a free. software download.Read More, it’s often difficult to tell whether an app you find on a random website is a legitimate download or a dangerous fake. This leads to inexperienced users opening themselves up to malware just from downloading software.
Instead, the Microsoft Store gives Microsoft more control over what apps are available. The company does some level of vetting to weed out dangerous apps from the Store. For some time the Store had issues with fake and dead apps, but these are thankfully not as bad nowadays.
Desktop vs. Microsoft Store Apps: Security
As we’ve seen, Store apps have the advantage of living in a trusted environment. However, they’re also more secure at their core than desktop apps.
When you download a desktop app, it often requires permission to run as an administrator to install. While this is a normal part of installing software, providing admin rights to a program gives it permission to do whatever it wants to your computer.
If you grant admin privileges to a malicious app, it has free reign to install malware, trash your data, record your keystrokes, or otherwise do harm to your PC. Most apps don’t do this, of course, but this is how infections often spread.
In contrast, Store apps have limited permissions. They run in a sandbox, meaning they’re confined to a certain part of Windows. Since these apps don’t ever run as an administrator, they don’t have nearly as much potential to damage your system.
This is great even for apps like iTunes. By downloading the Store version of iTunes, you won’t get extra junk like Bonjour and Apple Software Update included along with it.
Like Android and iPhone apps, Microsoft Store apps also list out all the permissions they use. This lets you see exactly what functions they utilize in the background. In addition, you can block apps from using individual permissions in the Privacy section of Settings.
By default, Store apps all receive automatic updates. This is much easier than the update prompts most desktop apps provide, as you don’t have to worry about visiting the site and downloading the newest version manually. Uninstalling a Store app is also much cleaner than a desktop app, as there are no Registry entries and other scattered data to remove.
Desktop vs. Microsoft Store Apps: Selection
While there’s a wealth of great software available for Windows, you won’t find it all on the Microsoft Store. Developers must pay a small fee to register and get their apps on the Microsoft Store, which might not be worth it to creators of small tools.
A lot of popular apps, such as Discord, Steam, Calibre, Snagit, and many more are not available on the Store. This means gamers and users of power applications will have to stick to desktop apps in many cases.
However, you can also find Store versions for a lot of common desktop software. Slack, Spotify, iTunes, Messenger, WhatsApp, Telegram, and Evernote are just a few examples.
Many of the apps on the Microsoft store are mobile-style offerings like Netflix and Candy Crush Saga that are simple games or apps to access one website or service. However, even some small desktop utilities are available in a Store variant. This is the case with PureText, a great little app to paste text without formatting.
Fan-favorite image editing app Paint.NET is also available for a few dollars on the Store. It’s the same as the free version, but the developer offers it as an optional donation with more convenient updates.
![]() Desktop vs. Microsoft Store Apps: Interface
The same app can vary quite a bit between versions. In general, desktop apps offer more features and navigation icons, while Store apps use larger, more spaced-out buttons. This makes Store apps more convenient for touchscreen use.
As an example, look at the version of OneNote included with Microsoft Office compared to the OneNote Store app. Below is the desktop version:
You can see that like other Office apps, this has tabs along the Ribbon for all sorts of features. These include advanced tools like revision history, the ability to record video, and all sorts of tags, plus support for macros. The buttons are also close together, as you’d expect for something designed for a mouse.
In comparison, here’s what the Store version of OneNote looks like:
You can see how simple the interface is here compared to the desktop version. It has fewer tabs and buttons with icons that are spread further apart. In addition, the Store version offers far fewer settings than its desktop counterpart.
As mentioned earlier, this feels more like an app you’d use on your phone than a desktop program. It’s perfectly suitable for quick use, but OneNote power users will find many features lacking.
Check out a closer look at OneNote’s version differencesWhy You Should Switch From OneNote 2016 to OneNote for Windows 10Why You Should Switch From OneNote 2016 to OneNote for Windows 10OneNote 2016 is being phased out. We'll explain what's happening to OneNote 2016 and show you the great benefits of switching to OneNote for Windows 10.Read More if you’re interested in more.
Desktop vs. Microsoft Store Apps: VLC Example
Let’s quickly look at VLC, the popular media player, to see how its desktop and Store editions differ.
The desktop edition has a wealth of features you’ve come to expect from the program. Along the bottom bar, you can control the playback, including adjusting both audio and video effects. Desktop VLC supports subtitles, the ability to open media from sources like network streams, on-screen control customization, and a whole lot more.
In comparison, the Store edition of VLC is much more streamlined. You can change options, but only a handful compared to everything in the desktop version. It still offers support for subtitles and playback from network sources but doesn’t let you customize the interface, play from a DVD or Blu-ray disc, or use a lot of VLC’s other hidden tricks.
You’ll also notice that the buttons in this version are much larger, making them easier for touchscreen users. As I was testing it, the Store version also froze up several times when trying to start a video.
The Store version is serviceable, but power users will find a lot lacking.
Microsoft Store Versions of Web Apps
Aside from desktop app replacements, the Store contains many apps for web services. These include Pandora, Amazon, Netflix, Instagram, and others.
In some cases, these “apps” are simply a wrapper on a website (such as Amazon). There’s little reason to use these when you can just bookmark the site in your favorite browser.
However, others offer unique features or better layouts. For example, while you can scroll through Instagram in a browser, you need to use the Instagram Store app to access your DMs. You may also prefer to keep a desktop app for video services like Netflix and Hulu installed for easy access, especially if you often use your laptop in tablet mode.
Whether you should use a Store app or web app depends on your needs. Some people like having dedicated app s for services that they have open all the time, like Pandora, to cut down on browser tabs. Give both a try and see which you prefer.
Microsoft Store Apps and Desktop Apps
After looking at both kinds of apps, there’s no clear winner between them. Most people will probably use a combination of both.
Desktop apps offer superior functionality, but can have more confusing layouts. Conversely, while Store apps are fairly stripped-down experiences, they update automatically and come from a trusted source.
If the apps you use offer both options, give them a try and see which fits your needs better. Need some ideas? We’ve rounded up the best apps in the Microsoft StoreThe Best Microsoft Store Apps for Windows 10The Best Microsoft Store Apps for Windows 10Microsoft Store apps for Windows 10 have come a long way. Here's our selection of the best Windows 10 apps, both free and paid.Read More.
Explore more about: Microsoft OneNote, VLC Media Player, Windows Apps, Windows Store.
Macs are their own little universe of hardware, design, and software. It's an incomplete universe, like any other, but a nerd can dream. These are 10 applications we wish made the jump from Windows to Mac to make it a better place.
Note: In almost all of these cases, we're not saying that 'This exact application should be ported to Mac OS X.' In some cases, that would be ludicrous. What we are suggesting is that there's a need for a particular kind of application, and that this application, on Windows, fills exactly that need. Also, for most purposes, we stuck with free applications. For a counterpoint, check out these 10 Mac apps that should be on Windows.
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Top 10 Mac Applications that Should Be on Windows
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10. Office Viewers
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Should I Program On Windows Or Mac For Android Download
Microsoft does, of course, have an Office product for Macs, but it's far from a priority for the firm. Even with a new 2011 version on the way, many Mac users choose not to shell out for a full-fledged Office pack, and others still don't need the iWork suite. Then along comes a finely formatted document from an Office user, and neither the Mac's built-in TextEdit nor any other freeware does quite the same job of opening it as it was meant to be seen. (You could go with OpenOffice.org, if you don't mind waiting a few minutes to view the document.) Go ahead and browbeat the sender for forcing their proprietary standards on you. In the meantime, don't you wish you had a simple view/print tool that offered great compatibility with Office docs? Microsoft somewhat makes amends with its free Office Web Apps' compatibility powers, but it would be nice if they offered a desktop view-only tool.
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9. TeraCopy
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Macs usually do a better job of copying files between locations, and don't fail or die as regularly, so recommending TeraCopy isn't about stability. It's about adding advanced features to file transfers for the non-Terminal-expert user, so that transfers can be paused and resumed safely, run 'Test' differential comparisons on two folders, and otherwise geek out about file management.
8. Fences
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Mac has its Spaces system for managing multiple desktops, and the applications that should stick to each space. Windows has freeware to offer multiple desktops, too, and each file system and explorer has its pros and cons. One area in which Windows wins is Fences, a free app from the Stardock team that keeps your files, icons, and other desktop material locked into user-defined areas. They're like force fields for your messy desktop, and, truth be told, Mac users are just like Windows users in some regards—it's easy to let things fall to the Desktop, and it's nice when the Desktop can take care of itself. Fences on Mac would be a great thing.
7. Rainmeter
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Macs have a decent on-screen display creator, GeekTool, but it doesn't have the same kind of enthusiastic community, easy-to-use beginner tool, or quite the same adjustment powers of Rainmeter. It's a key component of our featured desktops, and the variety of desktop setups shows its power. Even if Rainmeter weren't around, the native themes of Windows 7 offer a good deal more flexibility than the Mac offers. It seems fair to ask for users to have control of colors and shading, while leaving control of the window dynamics to the designers.
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6. A Different Kind of CCleaner
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Experienced and clever Mac users know where everything goes—what the Library folder is for, where the preferences are stored, and what happens when you delete the wrong thing from a user's Home folder. New Mac users and switchers don't know, and occasionally have to hope they can phrase their questions correctly to Google to find the answer. CCleaner does a specific job on Windows systems, cleaning out caches, temporary files, junk cookies, and more deeply hidden cruft. It would be pretty great if someone wrote a tool for Macs that cleaned house, yes, but also suggested other optimizations that the user could then approve or ignore.
5. Ninite![]()
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We're being a bit particular here, we know, but hopefully in every Mac user's interest. When we made the Lifehacker Pack 2010 for Windows, the all-in-one installer Ninite made it easy to point to a single page where new computer owners, re-installers, or those looking to spruce up their computer could grab all or some of our recommendations, and then install them while walking away to grab a cold beverage. For the Lifehacker Pack for Mac, there's really no such tool around. Macs do, of course, install applications differently, with the user usually being required to drop the entire application package dropped into a folder that they sometimes need administrative access to. That makes sense for what Apple's trying to do—make computers easy. They (or clever outside developers) could make it just as easy for power users to quickly install the stuff they need, though, with a Ninite-like tool.
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4. Notepad++
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As with photo editing, it would be great to have a free plain text editor that was as versatile as Notepad++. Notepad++ is flexible, extensible, and very friendly to coders of HTML, PHP, Ruby, Python, or any other language. Actually, no matter what you're writing with or about, Notepad++ is up for the job, or there's probably a plug-in to make it so. Most important to what we're rooting for, Notepad++ is free, and open-source—that would be a lovely thing to see on a Mac. Smultron used to cover this territory well, but it's no longer under active development, and TextWrangler doesn't have the breadth of features we'd like. Update: A reader points us towardFraise, which is Smultron reborn, and may be exactly what we were looking for.
3. Microsoft Security Essentials
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It's still true, generally, that given the overall popularity of Windows, and the Mac's Unix-type core and design, virus makers are less inclined to target the OS, and applications less able to let malware in. That doesn't mean that, as Macs grow in popular acceptance, aided in part by iPhones, they couldn't possibly be the target of exploits (even Apple takes precautions), or just lesser crapware. So while 68 percent of Lifehacker readers don't run an antivirus app on their Mac, there's still a place for a light, agile, and quiet malware protector—in the Windows world, this is Microsoft Security Essentials.
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2. AutoHotkey
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How many download per purchase on the word program for mac. AutoHotKey is a scripting language that can be molded to basically do anything, anything inside Windows. A good number of Lifehacker's own coding projects, including Texter and Belvedere, are built on it, and the How-To Geek's own site is a veritable treasure trove of AHK-based fixes for Windows annoyances and shortcomings. Macs have AppleScript. It is not close to the same thing, or as far-reaching in its powers. It might be the longest shot of all our wishes, because Apple may never allow a third-party app such deep access to the system functions. But it would be pretty nice.
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1. Paint.NETWindows Vs Mac
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Paint.NET isn't a full-fledged Photoshop or attempted equivalent, like the GIMP. It's more than an image viewer or very light editor, like Paint. It's just about what the non-expert needs to crop, size, balance, and otherwise tweak their photos and graphics. As Gina discovered, there isn't a straight-up solution to finding the middle ground on a Mac, or at least a free middle path solution. So while it used to be a fair assumption that every Mac owner had Photoshop—heck, at one point, it seemed like the only reason one would have a Mac—it would be nice to grab a good enough solution. Pinta seems to be aiming for that exact target, though, so give it your support.
We've heard rumors that the strengths and weaknesses of Windows and Mac software is a hotly contested thing. This is just our own list, drawn from editors' experiences on Windows and Mac machines. What's the killer Windows app or feature we're missing, that desperately needs developed for Mac? Share your suggestions in the comments.
Windows Or Mac Which Is Better
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